A group of more than 40 civil rights organizations has written to the U.S. Department of Education, expressing their concerns about the impact of increased surveillance technology on K12 schools. The coalition argues that such measures could result in a dangerous escalation in the school-to-prison pipeline and the criminalization of marginalized youth, particularly those from Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities.
In their letter, the coalition highlights the negative consequences of surveillance technologies in schools. These include an increase in police presence, police contact with students, exclusionary discipline, and school pushout. As a result, they urge the Department of Education to ban the use of federal funds for purchasing surveillance equipment, including those that utilize artificial intelligence.
The coalition also provides six recommendations to protect marginalized communities from technology-enabled rights abuses. These include divesting discretionary agency funding from police surveillance hardware, conducting algorithmic impact audits to ensure legal compliance of AI and big data technologies, studying the risks associated with surveillance tools in public schools, and involving youth and young adults in AI data privacy governance.
Despite some states taking steps to address this issue at a local level, the coalition emphasizes that there is still work to be done at a national level. They call for immediate action to prevent America’s public schools from becoming spaces of increased surveillance and potential harm to students.
In conclusion, it is crucial for policymakers to recognize the dangers associated with increased surveillance technology in K12 schools and take action to protect marginalized communities from technology-enabled rights abuses. By implementing these recommendations and banning federal funds for purchasing surveillance equipment that utilizes artificial intelligence, we can create safer and more equitable public schools for all students.